The Best and the Worst Years
by james-fanatic
Summary: Lily and James come to learn that they hate and love each other. This is their story. Rated Kplus for slapping and such. Nothing else.
1. Chapter 1

The Best (and the Worst) Years

Summary: James and Lily go through school together. They come to realize that they hate each other, and love each other. This is the story of their good times and bad times.

Chapter 1: Owls

**Disclaimer**: I own NOTHING Harry Potter. I wish I did, but ya...

A girl was sitting at the table. Her skin was fair, with bright freckles blown across her face. Her hair fell a little past her shoulders. It had beautiful little curls at the ends of her hair, and it shone as brightly as the orange sun. Her eyes were pure emerald green that sparkled when she smiled.

Sitting next to her, was another girl. She had milky white skin, and her hair was dark brown. It ended just above her shoulder. It was wavy and frizzy at the time because she had just woken up. Her eyes were pale blue, almost grey. Her nose turned up, just like her sister's.

"Lily, what do you want to do today?" asked the brown-haired girl.

"I don't know Petunia. Should we go bother that boy down the street?" Lily asked.

"Yes!" replied Petunia excitedly.

As the two sisters were planning, there was another boy, in another town, in another place…

"Mum!" a boy cried.

"What, James?" replied a woman? She sounded tired. The woman was pretty. She had fair skin, and dark, curly brown hair. She was about five feet, nine inches tall, and thin.

"An owl came! The letter's from Hogwarts!" said James excitedly.

"What?" said James mother. She was so happy for James. She had always wanted him to go to Hogwarts. She rushed into the room where James was.

James had pale skin, with a little bit of color. He had jet black hair that stuck up at odd angles all the time. His eyes were a light blue with flecks of gold in them. His eyes always had care in them for the people he loved, even though people hardly noticed.

"Mum!" James yelled.

"I'm coming," replied James's mother.

When she got to James, he waved his letter in her face. "Mum! It says I'm going to Hogwarts! It has my supply list! I'm going to HOGWARTS!" he yelled again.

"Congratulations James," his mother said. "Would you like to go get your wand tomorrow in Diagon Alley?" she asked. "Maybe we could get you an owl," she suggested.

"Yes! What are the kinds of owls?" James asked

"Oh, there's snowy, barn, and lots of other kinds. We'll look at the shop tomorrow," James's mother said. As James ran off joyously, his mother shook her head and smiled.

"Okay, Petunia. What we'll do is go around this way, and throw rocks at his bedroom window. Just pebbles, mind you. He's always in there, so he'll notice them," explained Lily. The two sisters had been planning for the last half hour to bother the boy down the street.

Petunia asked Lily, "What do we…," but she was cut off. All of a sudden, an owl burst through the open kitchen window. The girls screamed, and ran into the den. They hid behind the large couch. They stayed there for around five minutes.

"Do you think it's gone?" Petunia asked her sister.

"I don't know. I'll go check. Are you coming with me?" Lily asked. When Petunia shook her head furiously, Lily knew she was going to have to do this alone.

Lily crept past the couch, the lazy chair, and then the T.V. As she got closer to the kitchen, she began to sweat. _What if it attacks me?_ she thought. When she got to the kitchen door, she peeked inside. The owl was sitting quietly on the round kitchen table with something in its beak.

She started toward the owl, and suddenly something occurred to her. Owls don't go flying around in broad daylight, and definitely don't just fly into people's houses. So there must be a reason for an owl to be sitting in the middle of her kitchen. Lily decided to go see what was in the owl's beak.

When Lily got to the table, the owl fluttered its wings. _Like its tired of waiting, _thought Lily. She moved closer to it, and it moved closer to her. When she was near enough to touch it, she reached out her arm, and it moved its head under her hand, and had her stroke it. Lily was amazed. She was amazed at how at home she felt with his owl. She felt like they were old friends, but she didn't know why.

Suddenly the bird moved its head. It dropped whatever it was that was in its beak, and flew out the kitchen window. Lily picked it up. It was an envelope. It had HER name on it! It was in emerald green writing. She flipped it over to open it. It had a strange crest on it. It had a golden lion, a black bird, a badger, and a venomous green snake.

Suddenly, Lily felt nervous and excited, but she couldn't understand why. She started to lift the flap up off of the envelope. She started to pull the paper out. When she unfolded the paper, she read the words at the top of the letter.

Dear Miss Evans,

We…

"Mum and dad, it says right here on the letter that I'm supposed to go to a school where they teach magic!" Lily squealed to her parents as they walked in the door.

"Slow down Lily! Let us breathe!" Lily's father said. The two adults set down their papers, and went to sit on the couch with Lily.

"Now what is all this commotion about going to a magic school and being a witch?" Lily's dad inquired.

"I'm going to Hogwarts! Here, read the letter!" Lily said, as she thrust the piece of parchment at her parents that held all of the information.

After a few minutes, the pair of them just sat there, looking incredulous.

"George," said Lily's mother. "Do you think this could be true? Could our little girl be… magic?"

"I think, Rose, that some congratulations are in order," he said.

As the two parents and Lily were celebrating, Petunia was sitting in a corner sulking. _How could Lily be a witch? It's not fair! Lily gets all of this attention from mum and dad just because she can do a few stupid magic tricks._

A voice cut through Petunia's thoughts. "Petunia, do you want to go with me to get my supplies for school in Diagon Alley tomorrow? Asked Lily.

"Not on your life," replied Petunia icily as she stalked up the stairs to her room, leaving her family with their mouths gaping.


	2. Chapter 2

Into a New World

Disclaimer: Same old thing. I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER.

James was sitting in his room looking out the window. It would be a great day for Quidditch, he thought. As he admired the perfect blue sky, a car pulled up to the house. A woman got out of the car followed by a boy.

The woman looked to be about forty years old, with long, wavy blond hair that fell to the middle of her back. She had large blue eyes that held a blankness that only some could see. She wore bright pink lip stick and mascara applied on so thickly, that someone could assume that she had painted her eyelashes.

The boy, who appeared to be the woman's son, had some similar features. He sported the same eyes as his mother, with the same blank look, though not as noticeable. His hair was also blond but it was much thinner. He was a bit chubby, and was in need of a favorite sport, shall we say?

James realized who they were and groaned. The Pedigrees. It wasn't that the Pettigrews were rude, or annoying, but there was something about them that always made another person feel awkward.

"Mum!" James yelled down the stairs. "I'm taking a nap!"

"No, James! The Pettigrews are here! Come down for tea!" James groaned again. It hadn't worked.

He pulled on some jeans along with a mint green button-down shirt. The shirt slightly showed of his muscles from playing Quidditch. Even though he was only eleven, James was very handsome.

James started down the stairs as he ruffled his hair. His mum hated it when he did that.

As James walked into the kitchen, his mother immediately steered him to a chair, and sat him down from across the boy.

"Hullo, Peter," James said. "How's your holiday been?"

"It's been great!" replied Peter excitedly. "I got my letter!"

"What?!" James yelled incredulously. "Mum! You never told me they were wizards! What were you playing at?"

"Well, um, James, we weren't exactly sure if, um, Peter was a wizard," explained Peter's mother.

"Oh, Helen," James' mother said as Peter turned a brilliant shade of red.

Still fuming, James turned to Peter while trying to calm himself down. When he regained his composure, James said, "Well done Peter! I would've never have thought it of you, but it did happen, so, congratulations!"

"Er, thanks James," Peter said uncertainly. James realized what he had done.

"Er, listen, Peter. Sorry about that. You're going to be a great wizard," James apologized.

James was cut off by his mother. Boys we've decided that we're going to go to Diagon Alley. All four of us," James' mother said. "James go get your allowance," she added as an afterthought. "Hurry!"

"Sh'up," mumbled Rose. Her alarm had just gone off. She rolled out of her bed. Rose had placed the alarm on the other side of the room so she would have to get up to turn it off.

Once Rose had turned the alarm off, she continued to get ready. She took a shower, got dressed, brushed her teeth, and combed her hair.

After she had finished, it was almost seven. She decided she had better go wake Lily up.

As she was walking up the stairs, she heard a noise down the hall. She wondered why Petunia was up earlier than usual. She usually didn't get up until seven-thirty to watch her favorite television show.

When Rose looked into the bathroom to question Petunia, she got a surprise. It was Lily.

"Lily! What are you doing up this early?"

"I'm getting ready to go to Diagon Alley," Lily said. "You know, that place that The Letter talks about?"

"Honey," Rose said gently. "I need to make breakfast first, and then we can go,"

"Okay. Thanks, mum," Lily replied. "Oh, mum, is dad home?"

"No, sweetie. Dad had to go in to work early. He had a patient he got called in for,"

"Oh," Lily looked crestfallen. "I wanted him to come with,"

"I know, honey. I know," Rose whispered as she walked down the stairs to start making breakfast.

"Come on James, Peter! We need to go!" James' mother called from the kitchen. "We have reservations at the restaurant! We can't be late!"

"Okay, Peter. I guess we have to go because 'we have reservations at the restaurant'," James said, imitating his mother. Peter laughed.

When the boys walked into the kitchen, James' mother ushered them towards the fire place.

"Oh, we're low on floo powder. We'll have to get more when we're in Diagon Alley," James' mother said. "All right then, James. You go first,"

James obeyed his mother, and stepped into the fireplace. he took a pinch of floo powder and dropped it. He yelled, "Diagon Alley," and vanished.

Things continued in this manner until Peter, his mother, and James' mother were all standing inside Flourish and Blotts.

"Well, since we're here, we may as well get their books," said Peter's mum.

The mothers rushed off in one direction, while the boys rushed off in another to get the books (not all for school).

"Mum, I think we're lost," Lily said.

"No, Lily. The directions say that we're supposed to be on this street. We turn her, and ..." she trailed off.

"Mum, what's wrong?"

The directions say it's supposed to be on the left, and it's not there..."

"Yes it is, mum," Lily contradicted. "It's right there. Come on, park the car!"

An exasperated and utterly confused Mrs. Evans got out of the car and onto the sidewalk.

Lily grabbed her mother's hand and dragged her along. "There it is mum! The Leaky Cauldron!"

"Lily, it's not there-," But right as she said it she had an unexpected image appear before her eyes.

There were wooden tables with various people scattered around them, and the floor was covered with years of grime.Behind the bar stood a man.

He looked to be in his mid-fifties. The man was bald with sparkling black eyes. "Scuse me," the barman yelled across the room," Will you be wanting anything? Butterbeer, firewhiskey, gillywater?"

"What's that?" Rose asked.

"Eh? Oh, you must be a 'Ogwarts student. You'll be wanting to know how to get to Diagon Alley?" He inquired.

"Er, yes," Lily said uncertainly.

"Follow me," he commanded. The two women followed the man to some rubbish bins by a brick wall.

The man tapped a certain brick several times with what looked to be a wooden stick, and moved aside. "M'name's Tom by the way. 'Ope you have a good stay,"

As he left, Lily turned around. She gasped and stepped into her new world.


	3. Chapter 3

Lily stepped out into the alley and was surrounded by a mob of people. She was in shock. She had expected something strange, but not something as strangely wonderful and exciting as this.

She turned around to look at her mother. She gave her a look full of awe (of pure awe), and had the gift returned.

"Mum, I…" Lily trailed away. "I never thought it would be as cool as THIS!" she screamed to her mother as all of the witches and wizards swarmed around her.

Lily continued to jump up and down until she started to tire. Stopping, she looked expectantly at her mother Rose.

"Well, Lily…" She cleared her throat. "I think I'm just as, or more surprised, actually, as you are." Lily squealed and clung onto her mother. The two girls embraced for a long while right in the middle of Diagon Alley.

center /center 

James Potter walked out of Flourish and Blotts with his arms laden with books. As may know, James was not the type to read a lot, but these books were different; they were about becoming an Animagus.

James just loved the subject idea of being able to turn into an animal at will. He had been around it often because his father was an Animagus; a rather large hawk. James loved to listen to the stories that his father told, sparking his interest in the subject.

James had been wandering around the store with Peter Pettigrew, a good friend of his, when he came across a shelf that had books on becoming an Animagus. So, naturally, he had picked them up and bought them.

Now, James, Peter and their mums were in the Apothecary.

"Mum, can we please go to Quality Quidditch Supplies?" James begged.

"No, I want to go to Ollivander's!" Peter whined.

"Now, stop! Both of you!" James' mother reprimanded. "We'll go to both, but first we need to go to the Apothecary and Madam Malkin's. They're closest, and I don't want to back-track."

Both boys submitted to the gaze of their mothers, wishing that they were elsewhere.

center /center 

"Where are we supposed to go?"

"I have no idea, Lily," Rose replied to here daughter. Both daughter and mother stood side by side, just taking in the sight before them.

After a while, the two of them decided that they should probably try to find out what they were supposed to do. So, they set off down the alley.

As they passed all of the shops, Lily suddenly remembered something. "Oh, mum! It said something in the letter about all of this!"

Lily pulled a squished up envelope out of her left pant pocket. She unfolded the crumpled piece of parchment and started to skim. Once she found what she was looking for, she read it to her mother. "All right. 'When you reach Diagon Alley, you must walk along until you see a tall, marble building. That is Gringotts, the wizard bank. You should go in and exchange Muggle money for wizard money. One of the goblins will assist you in your business. You may then proceed to purchase all of your school supplies.'"

"All right, then. We just walk along the street." Rose did so, and turned to face her daughter, "and go to a marble building."

Lily gazed at her mother and uncertainly said, "Er…mum?"

"Yes, Lily?"

"Erm…well, look behind you." Rose turned on her heel and gasped. Standing before her was a huge, magnificently white building: Gringotts.

Mother and daughter stood next to each other, gaping.

Once they had recovered from the shock of seeing the bank, the two ladies looked at each other, and wordlessly went to go into the wonderful building.

They strode up to the building, and stopped in front of a set of double doors that were twice the height of any normal man.

On the side of the doors stood a short creature with very long fingers.

"Mum…it never occurred to me that the letter meant…real goblins…"

But before they could marvel one second longer, the gold and scarlet clad goblin bowed them through the doors.

Once Lily and Rose had passed through the tall doors, they came upon another set of doors with words engraved on them. They said:

center Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there. /center 

Lily looked at her mother with worry in her eyes. These goblins were a little creepy. That bit about finding more than treasure…what did that mean?

Two goblins opened the doors for the ladies, and they stepped in. There was a large room with a high counter on both sides with goblins sitting behind them. They were all working with some form of money or with customers (which were also considered money by the goblins to a certain extent).

Lily started to walk toward an available goblin when her mother grabbed her hand. "Dear, erm…oh, never mind."

"Mum, are you nervous? Because if you are, it's all right. I know what I'm doing."

Lily gently slid her hand from her mother's grasp, and strode right up to a goblin.

She stood in front of the goblin and cleared her throat politely.

"May I help you?" questioned the goblin. Lily beckoned her hesitant mother over to her and started to make the exchanges.

center /center 

"Come i on /i mum," groaned James. "How long does it take to go to a robe shop and the Apothecary?"

"Oh, be quiet, James. I'm almost done. Now, there," she finished. "Now we can go to the wand shop."

"All right. I suppose that's okay. But I want to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies after."

"We'll see. It depends on how you behave." James sighed.

Mother and son walked out of the Apothecary followed by Peter and his mum.

Peter would have been bouncing off of the walls, but there weren't any in the street. He was very excited to get his wand.

Once the foursome reached Ollivander's, they stepped into the dark and musty shop.

Standing at the counter was a man with piercing grey eyes. Those who had seen him before still feel uneasy when they were around him. No one (except for Dumbledore, of course) felt exactly 'at home' around Mr. Ollivander. Anyone would attest to that.

Mr. Ollivander came out from behind the counter and walked up to the group of Potters and Pettigrews.

"Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Pettigrew, what a pleasure to see you again. I trust that both of your wands are still in perfect working order?" Both women nodded their heads in assent to answer Mr. Ollivander.

"Good. Now, young Mr. Pettigrew, come here." Peter walked hesitantly up to Mr. Ollivander.

Mr. Ollivander took out a tape measure and started to measure Peter.

If it had been anyone else that was measuring Peter from top to bottom, everyone would have been laughing hysterically. But since it was Ollivander, no one was laughing.

When Mr. Ollivander was finished with Peter, he left him and went to the back of the shop.

He came back moments later with a stack of long, thing boxes. Peter gasped, excited, but was soon quieted by a look from his mother.

Mr. Ollivander set the boxes on the counter. He motioned for Peter to come to him, and pulled the box on the top of the pile.

He opened the box. "Hold out your wand arm, Mr. Pettigrew."

Peter did as he was told, and was handed the first wand he had ever held in his life.

center /center 

"Hogwarts, Dear?" a homely old witch asked Lily.

"Yes."

"Come right this way, please." Rose and Lily followed the lady. i Maybe this lady is Madam Malkin /i , she thought. i It would make sense. /i 

"Stand right here, please." Lily stood on a stool, and was immediately bombarded with a robe. It flew over her head, and the witch who Lily thought was Madam Malkin started to pin the robes.

On a stool next to Lily stood another girl. She had black hair that fell down to the middle of her back. Her skin was olive colored, and she had baby blue eyes that shone with excitement.

"Hello," the girl said. "My name is November Wu."

"I'm Lily Evans."

"Pleased to meet you."

center /center 

James looked at Mr. Ollivander. It had all been fine and good when Peter was getting his wand, but now it was James' turn.

James gulped and walked forward.

"All right, Mr. Potter. Time to measure you up," Mr. Ollivander informed James.

He measured James, and when they were done, he handed him a wand.

James waved it, and nothing happened. Mr. Ollivander snatched the wand out of his hand, and gave him another wand.

This process continues for around six or seven wands. Mr. Ollivander pressed another wand into James' hand.

James felt a tingling in his arm. He knew before he even waved it, that his was this wand.

center /center 

"Mum, I think we've been everywhere except the wand shop." Lily looked over to November so that she could have a confirmation. November nodded.

Lily and November had quickly become friends. They had many things in common. They liked the same music bands, even though November was pureblood. They liked all of the same foods. They were perfect friends.

The two girls' mothers had also been fast friends. They found that they had all of the same problems in their homes and they both loved to cook.

The four women walked down the street chatting. They were all excited for wands – mothers and daughters alike.

When the girls reached the shop, something burst out of the door. It hurtled into the street and brought Lily and November down on top of each other.

It got up, and grabbed Lily's and November's upper arms so that it could help them up.

Once the girls were done brushing themselves off, they looked at the thing.

It was a boy. He had messy black hair and a huge grin plastered onto his face.

"Sorry," he apologized.

Lily looked at him with her mouth gaping. She couldn't believe him! Who would come barging out of a shop and run into someone and just expect them to forgive him?

Lily closed her open mouth. She was fuming. i Who does he think he is? /i she thought.

"Apologize to him, Lily," Rose ordered.

"Sorry," she muttered automatically. She couldn't believe that her mother was making her apologize for something she didn't do!

"Er…that's okay," the boy said uncertainly.

"What's your name, dear?" Rose asked the boy kindly.

"James Potter."

"Pleased to meet you. I'm Mrs. Evans. And you've met my lovely daughter, Lily."

"Yes, she is lovely," James murmured to himself.

"What was that?" Rose inquired frowning slightly.

"Er…I said that it was nice to meet you too. Erm… I've got to go. My mum's waiting." He pointed to a figure across the street.

Rose looked, and called a "sorry" across the many people.

Mrs. Potter waved her apologies off and beckoned James over to her.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Evans…girls," he looked at Lily and November.

Lily glowered at him as he left. She knew she was going to hate him for the rest of her life. She just knew it. She knew he was going to bother her at school about it, and she didn't want her year ruined. They were definitely going to butt heads.

Lily entered the wand shop. Mr. Ollivander measured her, and sorted through all of the wands.

They got to a wand that sent a shiver up and down Lily's spine. She waved it. Gold and red sparks shot out of the tip. This was her wand.


End file.
